Stars from the Inside

Structure, Evolution and the Compact Remnants in 14 chapters — from “Binary stars: fitted orbits, modelled eclipses and the Roche geometry” to “Accretion power: mass transfer, discs and the weighing of black holes”.

Chapters

  1. Binary stars: fitted orbits, modelled eclipses and the Roche geometry
    • What the circular solution leaves out
    • The radial-velocity curve of an eccentric orbit
    • The general mass function and double-lined orbits
    • Inclination and fractional radii from eclipse geometry
    • A light-curve model and what it fits
    • The Roche potential, the Lagrangian points and the Roche lobe
    • Apsidal motion as a probe of central concentration
    • Per-cent-level calibrations and eclipsing-binary distances
    • Settled and open
    • Problems
  2. Planetary systems: formation estimates, transits and the atmospheres of other worlds
    • What transits and velocities already give
    • The minimum-mass nebula and the isolation mass
    • The reflex velocity amplitude of a star with a planet
    • The transit light curve and the stellar density
    • The planet mass-radius diagram and bulk composition
    • Transmission spectroscopy and the atmospheric scale height
    • The Rossiter-McLaughlin effect and transit-timing variations
    • Detection biases and occurrence rates
    • Settled and open
    • Problems
  3. Radiative transfer solved: the grey atmosphere, the diffusion limit and the curve of growth
    • Einstein coefficients, detailed balance and the stimulated-emission correction
    • The moments of the radiation field
    • The formal solution and the Eddington-Barbier relation
    • Local thermodynamic equilibrium and Kirchhoff's law
    • The grey atmosphere in the Eddington approximation
    • Scattering, the two-level atom and thermalisation
    • The diffusion limit and the Rosseland mean opacity
    • Line profiles, the Voigt function and the equivalent width
    • The curve of growth
    • Settled and open
    • Problems
  4. Hot and fast electrons: bremsstrahlung, Compton scattering and synchrotron emission
    • Three spectra and the Larmor formula
    • The spectrum of a brief acceleration
    • Thermal bremsstrahlung
    • Free-free absorption and Kramers' opacity
    • Electron scattering and the Eddington limit
    • Inverse Compton scattering and Comptonisation
    • Synchrotron radiation from a single electron
    • Power-law synchrotron spectra and cooling
    • Brightness temperature and the incoherent limit
    • Summary
    • Problems
  5. Pressure against gravity: the equation of state, polytropes and the Lane-Emden equation
    • The zero-temperature Fermi gas
    • The equation of state across the density-temperature plane
    • Degenerate electron pressure in two limits
    • Polytropes and the Lane-Emden equation
    • Lane-Emden solutions and mass-radius relations
    • Central pressure and temperature of a polytrope
    • Polytrope energy and dynamical stability
    • The Eddington standard model and stellar masses
    • The apsidal constant from polytropes
    • Summary
    • Problems
  6. Energy transport and the complete stellar model
    • The radiative and adiabatic gradients
    • The opacity map
    • The Schwarzschild and Ledoux criteria
    • Mixing length and adiabatic convection
    • Where stars convect
    • The structure equations in mass coordinate
    • Building a numerical stellar model
    • Homology relations and the mass-luminosity relation
    • Settled and open
    • Problems
  7. Thermonuclear energy generation: reaction rates, burning stages and the elements they make
    • The Maxwellian-averaged rate ⟨σv⟩ and the astrophysical S factor
    • The thermonuclear reaction rate
    • The Gamow peak and the temperature exponent
    • Burning stability
    • The pp chain, branch by branch
    • The CNO cycle in equilibrium
    • Triple alpha through two resonances
    • Advanced burning and neutrino cooling
    • Nuclear statistical equilibrium and the iron peak
    • The s process: slow neutron capture beyond iron
    • Settled and open
    • Problems
  8. The Sun as a test: calibration, sound, neutrinos and a magnetised atmosphere
    • The induction equation, frozen-in flux and magnetic pressure
    • The standard solar model and its calibration
    • What helioseismology measures
    • The solar neutrino tests, branch by branch
    • The solar abundance problem
    • Internal rotation and the tachocline
    • Frozen-in flux and sunspots
    • The solar cycle as data
    • The corona and the Parker wind
    • Settled and open
    • Problems
  9. Stellar evolution: from the Hayashi track to the iron core, and the ages of clusters
    • Contraction, the gravothermal term and the approach to the main sequence
    • The Hayashi track and the forbidden region
    • Evolution on the main sequence
    • The Schonberg-Chandrasekhar limit
    • The red giant branch and first dredge-up
    • The helium flash and the horizontal branch
    • The asymptotic giant branch: thermal pulses, dredge-up and the superwind
    • Massive stars: line-driven winds and the road to the iron core
    • Isochrone fitting and cluster ages
    • Settled and open
    • Problems
  10. Pulsating stars: the kappa mechanism, the Leavitt law and asteroseismology
    • Stars that breathe
    • The period-mean density relation
    • Radial oscillation and the one-zone model
    • The kappa mechanism
    • The instability strip and the classes of pulsator
    • The Leavitt law and the distance scale
    • Nonradial oscillations: p modes and g modes
    • Asteroseismic scaling relations
    • Settled and open
    • Problems
  11. White dwarfs: the relativistic polytrope, the Chandrasekhar mass and a cooling clock
    • What the first pass found by scaling
    • The non-relativistic white dwarf mass-radius relation
    • The Chandrasekhar mass
    • Chandrasekhar's full mass-radius relation
    • Coulomb coupling and crystallisation
    • Mestel cooling and the age of the disc
    • The white dwarf population and the ZZ Ceti pulsators
    • Settled and open
    • Problems
  12. Stellar explosions: core collapse, the neutrino-driven shock, radioactive light and remnants
    • The first pass on supernovae
    • Why an iron core collapses
    • Homologous collapse, bounce and the birth of the shock
    • Neutrino trapping, diffusion and the SN 1987A burst
    • The stalled shock and neutrino-driven revival
    • The plateau of a Type II light curve
    • Radioactive heating and Arnett's rule
    • Thermonuclear supernovae and the Phillips relation
    • Supernova remnants and the Sedov-Taylor phase
    • Settled and open
    • Problems
  13. Neutron stars and pulsars: the densest matter, the maximum mass and the spinning magnet
    • Neutron stars by scaling, and three relativistic results
    • Neutronisation, neutron drip and the layers of a neutron star
    • The TOV equation and the maximum mass
    • Radii, compactness and surface redshift
    • Magnetic-dipole spin-down
    • The P-P˙ diagram and pulsar populations
    • The Goldreich-Julian magnetosphere and the pulsar wind
    • Binary pulsars, relativistic tests and mergers
    • Settled and open
    • Problems
  14. Accretion power: mass transfer, discs and the weighing of black holes
    • Three puzzles and one process
    • Roche-lobe overflow and the response of the orbit
    • What drives mass transfer
    • Accretion luminosity and efficiency
    • From stream to disc: the circularisation radius
    • The steady thin accretion disc
    • Alpha viscosity and dwarf-nova outbursts
    • Novae, X-ray pulsars, bursters, recycled pulsars and Type Ia progenitors
    • Weighing black holes in X-ray binaries
    • Coronae, jets and apparent superluminal motion
    • Settled and open
    • Problems